I TRIED IT… Horizon Zero Dawn Video Game

By: LatinaChika

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Welcome back to another “I TRIED IT“!

I am so excited to do our first video game review!

Since this is my first review of a game, I wanted to share a little about who I am and my connection to video games.

When I was growing up, Nintendo released the Original Nintendo NES. Like everyone else, I fell in love with Mario since the first day we met! I have been a gamer since quite small due to my love for Nintendo…

When I reached college, I decided to get a Playstation. All of my cousins had Playstations, so I always had the opportunity to enjoy games like Grand Theft Auto (I learned the codes by heart!) and even the cutest of games, Little Big Planet.

I recently purchased the PS4Pro because I wanted to experience a high quality game in a high quality console with a 4K TV (it is a gamer’s dream honestly!).

In my conversations with other gamers about this console, I heard amazing reviews about Horizon Zero Dawn. One of the reasons I chose this game because I wanted to have a visual experience with a meaningful storyline (says the girl who learned the cheat codes to Grand Theft Auto LOL). I was promised that AND MORE! … I did not believe them…

I also like to look at a little gameplay of the game before I buy it. I normally only watch the beginning, so I do not spoil the game for myself in case I buy it.

In these videos, I saw the beautiful graphics on the game… I had to experience the game on my new Ps4Pro!!! This was just YouTube!

MY REVIEW

PROS:

1) VISUALS! VISUALS! VISUALS!!!!:

I was taken aback by all the details to this game! It is absolutely breathtaking!

I honestly could not have chosen a better game to try out my PS4Pro with!

I noticed the way the sun hits everything differently. The four seasons are absolutely present in this game and every season is just as detailed and beautiful as the other!

2) REALITY:

Everything about this game has so much detail and thought put into it.

One of my love-hate relationship with this reality is the way in which the bow sends off an arrow is actually dictated by the weather presented in that moment in the game.

For example, if it is a windy day, the arrows will shift in direction with the wind even though you have shot straight at the target. I was so frustrated (and somewhat still am LOL) with the precision of this game in this aspect.

3) STORYLINE:

I absolutely was given a storyline that was meaningful!This game gave me a storyline that I was actually moved by.

Without spoiling it, I want to say this storyline has a social justice type of feel. The main character is a complex character.

Due to the main character, Aloy, being so complex, this game allows you to choose different responses to different situations from three different perspectives.

The first perspective means she can come from is coming from heart, which normally means she must learn to forgive and show compassion to someone who could possibly change (Don’t get me wrong, if the person was scum, they normally are not spared these three choices).

The second perspective means she can come from a less emotional side to a more “brain type of response” which I can only assume means it comes from a more sensible perspective without being nice about it. (I liked this option a lot because she could be ruthless LOL).

The third perspective you could come from was a more aggressive one. They represent this option with a fist… I guess that should be self explanatory, but it means she will respond with no compassion while telling them the brutal truth.

4) POSTIVE FEMALE REPRESENTATION:

I really appreciate a game where the female character is not coming out of her clothes or wearing barely any clothes.

This game represents a shero and she has is actually one of the most brilliant in the game!

I love games showing women who are smart and strong!

Lastly, she is always wearing warrior gear. This means, she is protected and the game is being realistic again! Especially when all four seasons are represented. Showing a girl in shorts in a cold environment is kind of a personal preference to see a “sexy woman” versus being more thoughtful about representing real life sheroes.

CONS:

1) It is a long game with a lot of tasks, quests, secrets, etc.

This can really be taken in two ways.

For someone who loves a loooooong game with a lot to do, this is the game for you! A positive for this type of player is that you always have something to do!

If you are a gamer who likes the storyline to be straightforward and you move along one adventure after another until you finish, this may not be for you because there is so much to be done. It is not so fluid in that sense.

I am in-between these two type of gamer interests. This game was addictive and it visually kept me coming back! I think if it was not so visually breathtaking, realistic in so many ways, and in the PS4Pro format, it would have not been worth the long wait for the end.

If I can make a minor comparison between this game and Zelda, I would say the graphics are actually more detailed than that! And I LOVE the Nintendo Switch version of Zelda. It really proved the Switch to be adult friendly versus just kid friendly. But, Horizon Zero Dawn really knocks it out of the ballpark! Though, I wish that, like Zelda, this game had portals to get to places, BUT I do understand the point of forcing you travel. There was a lot of quests and important information being given on your way to different errands and/or quests.

Also, I spent months playing Zelda, making my own food, exploring the world, and finding shrines. But, although Horizon Zero Dawn is similar, I really got into it and I am passing it in much less time than I did with Zelda. I had a lot of fun with this game!

2) PUZZLES:

Sometimes the puzzle being presented to you was too difficult to figure out.

Sadly, I had to look a few times online for help because I would spend an entire day looking for the solution and get absolutely frustrated!! (I love games! LoL)

I do not think I am the best at puzzles, but I do love games that are presented as puzzles. This game required a lot of thinking, looking, trying, and failing (LoL!)

I think this con is really a silly one because it means the game challenged me. I like being challenged, so it also a pro. I just wanted to vent about how hard some parts were! (LoL!)

SPOILER ALERT: THOUGHTS ON THE END OF THE GAME:

I was so sad when it all came to an end. Do you ever get close to the game and tell yourself, it can’t be… and then you are absolutely crushed when the credits start …. that was me! (LoL!)

The game started one way and I believed it to be the end. Then, a whole new story begins and your journey has just begun…Well, I thought the game was going to end with me destroying the enemy and then still playing to continue the revitalization of the world after war.

But, a girl can only dream! (LOL!)

Also, I loved how everyone came together to stop the end of all life together. The whole game was following a young woman who experienced discrimination, alienation, isolation, and just all around oppression. She comes out bitter about it (who wouldn’t?) and then uses it to bring all the outcasts and those who shunned them together. And in that reconciliation, they join forces with Aloy to protect and lead her to her final destination, a evil entity that has no human form. (I CAN’T SPOIL EVERYTHING FOR YOU GUYS!)

The end of the game ties everything together nicely.

Everything has a resolution and I cannot sit and wonder what happened to people because I know everything! I really like that.

Throughout the game, you find different data to help you understand what happened in the past to help you in the present. I appreciated that all that data makes sense by the end. I have left games feeling like I was robbed of certain storylines within the game, but not with this one.

WOULD I RECOMMEND IT?

YES!!!

I absolutely would!

This game was a true gem!It has everything!!….I mean it does not have aliens…. but it could be argued… (refraining from spoiling it anymore! LoL!)

WOULD I PLAY IT AGAIN?

Yes!!!!

I definitely would play this again and answer everything with my first!!! ( Seriously! LoL!)

I feel I can go back and enjoy the game again!

Call me crazy, but when you like a game, you always go back!…. Ask my Pokemon Red Version on my Gameboy Color….. yes, even after PokemonGo was released!

SCORE: 9/10

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